ZenBunni Chocolate

I loved the experience of ZenBunni. It was a challenge to find the shop (its set back behind the main shops) but once I did, it was as if I had entered a land where Harry Potter meets Lord of the Rings. The chocolate is delicious and comes in a variety of flavors, make sure to try them all– each is a unique experience. I’m a fan and as a NYer, have been and will continue to order chocolate from this magical outpost in Abbot Kinney.

I love this! I just received a bar in my monthly Mindfulness Box (which btw is totally awesome as well and if you’re into that sort of thing you should subscribe), the Mocha Mucha is soo good. It doesn’t have the smoothness of commercial chocolate but it has a more rich, natural and fulfilling taste. Compared to the regular chocolates we normally get (Godiva), it doesn’t reek of artificial flavors that contribute to my migraines. The prices are pretty pricey but it may be worth treating myself for passing exams.

So, this chocolate is an experience… starting first and foremost with the elfin closet-​shop– sooo *magical*. Only dreamers could’ve come up with a space and treats like this. I tried the chai, rose (!), topanga, and walnut. I enjoyed them all, rose was unique but not SO «unique» that you wouldn’t want to try it again (actually, it’s my favorite thus far). Where else can you find chocolates infused with walnut AND lion’s mane mushroom for cognitive health?! As a nutritionist, I REALLY dig that. I also love that they use jaggery (either from sugarcane or palm) as a sweetener, because it’s a minimally processed form of sugar. The bars are a little gritty, not as smooth as you get in a commercial chocolate… to me, there’s a deliciously wholesome quality in a Zenbunni bar that you don’t find elsewhere!

This diminutive half hidden store sells some diminutive chocolates that are nonetheless locally made and are bean to bar, portioned as if they were some magickal elixir of yore, very pure and untrammeled, channeling wholistic beneficent essences of the cacao pod, reaching its alchemical apogee in its chocolate rose offering, under the tutelage of a really nice chocolate savant, who will take time to talk to you about anything from Ayn Rand to the current human condition. True chocolate heals.

Pretty cool spot. It’s hidden down an alleyway on abbot Kinney and you kinda have to search for it. It’s pocketed in this little alcove that looks like the inside of a cave. Really nice woman gave us some samples and was very helpful describing all the different flavors. My favorite was the lavender.
It is basically the epitome of an abbot Kinney shop: vegan, trendy, delicious, and overpriced. Wish it wasn’t $ 4 for a tiny piece but it’s still a fun place to check out.

This is one of those hidden treasures that you only seem to find by stumbling across it. It’s this cute little store located in a nook (for lack of a better word). If you’re into Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, etc., you’ll definitely appreciate the décor. It’s as if someone found a giant tree and decided that the inside would make a perfect place to sell delectable chocolates. The Lavender Lemuria was tasty, but the Lost Salt of Atlantis was my favorite-​a mouthwatering blend of sugar and salt. I highly recommend this store!

Cute little store in Venice. This place is a good place for dark chocolate lovers. The chocolates here are all dark.
There are about 10 or so different varieties of chocolates to buy. Or, if you couldn’t make up your mind you can get a sample pack which usually ranges from $ 20 to $ 25.
Each chocolate piece is about $ 2 to $ 4. And there is no added milk or sugar to their chocolates so it’s not too sweet. Pure chocolate!

I love discovering little unknown places that are off the beaten path. I’ve heard of a little hidden chocolate shop on Abbot Kinney but I never made it past the front part of the small alleyway that its at the end of. I read a blog post about it and saw a picture and that made me want to go for sure.
The only way you will find this place is by looking for
and then looking for the signs that point down the alleyway. When I say alleyway I don’t mean a dark gross and nasty alley. I’m talking about a nicely made up alley. So don’t be scared to walk down it! First you’ll pass by Another Kind of Sunshine, turn a right after that and then you’ll find yourself at ZenBunni!
ZenBunni is in a tiny tiny location that is literally just the counter and the office with a table. It’s one small long room that they’ve done up to look like a treehouse. They’ve done an amazing job and used a technique called cobbing that textures the walls like a tree. Then they had to seal it and put a earth friendly wood stain over that to make it look like the inside of a tree. There are turtle shells mounted on their ceiling that cover the lights. It’s pretty amazing what they did so even if you don’t like chocolate you should come by to check it out.
Nami (I probably horrible mispelled her name here) was sitting behind the counter and ready to greet us and talk all about the chocolate! To keep it short its basically uncooked chocolate made from high quality beans. The chocolate is dairy and soy free. It’s the most earth-​friendly chocolate I’ve ever come across. Nami took us through every single type of chocolate the offer and gave us some of the topanga to try it. She also explained to us the name and how it came to be. There is a man named Zen who is with a lady named Bunni who started making chocolate! Very cute name and story to go along with it.
Bottom line though… it’s absolutely delicious. All their chocolate is dark and all you really need is a small piece because it just melts so smoothly. This definitely isn’t a chocolate for snacking, it’s one for appreciation! It melts slowly in your mouth which allows you to taste every little bit of it. Even after you’ve only had a small piece the taste remains. I enjoyed every last bit of it and I was wanting more afterwards.
Pricewise its not something I will be picking up every single day as they only have small bars that run from $ 1 to $ 4 each. Definitely something to indulge in every now and then! It would be a perfect gift for a chocolate lover for sure! Each bar is loving made in a made with Z hearts B on it and textured to look like tree bark. They have all different kinds of flavors to try out also! Topanga (normal), sea salt, espresso, extra dark, walnut, kinder (for kids and smaller), etc etc.
I loved my visit to ZenBunni! It was a lot of fun and so interesting to learn about the way they make their chocolate. Thanks Nami!